Woodland origin and 'ancient woodland indicators': a case-study from Sidlings Copse, Oxfordshire, UK

Abstract

A pollen sequence spanning the last c. 9500 years is presented from Sidlings Copse, a wood in Oxfordshire with a large number of vascular plant species generally taken to be indicators of 'ancient' (often assumed to be primary) woodland. The sequence provides evidence that the present woodland is secondary, resulting from regeneration on open land which commenced approximately 1000 years ago. Textual and cartographic evidence is used to shed additional light on the recent history of Sidlings Copse, indicating that it is a remnant of a much larger block of woodland present throughout the mediaeval and early postmediaeval periods up to the late seventeenth or early eighteenth century. The work demonstrates that ancient woodland cannot be assumed to represent relicts of the original post glacial woodland cover and that large assemblages of 'ancient woodland indicator' vascular plants can occur in secondary woodland. It is suggested that such plants tend to be absent from recent secondary woodland because they are slower to colonize new sites than other species.

‘As Earth's testimonies tell’: wilderness conservation in a changing world

“…2004). In both temperate and tropical biomes, however, there is increasing evidence to suggest that many forests were extensively modified by humans in the past (Foster 1992; Day 1993; Foster & Zebryk 1993; Willis 1993; Russell 1997; Foster 2000; Bayliss‐Smith et al. 2003; Rackham 2003; Willis et al.…”

The visibility of past trees and woodland: testing the value of insect remains

“…Was there a rich ground flora and litter layer? Is 'ancient' woodland in fact usually secondary [39,157]? At a more detailed, archaeological site-orientated, level, were woods, isolated trees, scrub or hedges present immediately adjacent to the places where deposits formed, whether around dwellings or in field systems, and could they satisfy local resource demands?…”

Mid- to late-Holocene vegetational and land-use change in the Hadrian's Wall region: a radiocarbon-dated pollen sequence from Crag Lough, Northumberland, England

“…50 cal BC-cal AD 500), and to a lesser extent CL-3d (ca. cal AD 500-1000), apparent cycles in abundance of Corylus avellana might appear to suggest coppicing in the Roman and early post-Roman periods, especially in view of the presence of Mercurialis perennis and (at the top of subzone 3b) Anemone nemorosa, both taxa that benefit from this practice [32]. Excavations of Roman-period buildings containing coppiced wood in Carlisle indicate that woodland management was practiced in the area, with trees cut on a cycle of 10 years or less [45].…”